His smile seemed evil; not that it usually wasn't, but it was different this time. Unsure of what to expect she walked in.

"I didn't expect much but this was way beyond it", he said pulling out an envelope from beneath a book on his desk.

"Have a look". She caught the envelope pulling out the photos in it.

"Mi Ran?" She said slowly as she glanced at every photo one after the other. They were all of Mi Ran at the hotel. She pulled out the last photo. She didn't want to recognize him, but the bracelet was hard not to spot. She was holding his hands as they entered the room together. She felt her eyes tear up and blinked rapidly.

She looked at the surrounding in the photo, hardly able to see much through the tears that were building up in her eyes. *this is the 35th floor, that's where his suite is*

"Why are you giving this to me?" she asked, careful not to let the tremble in her voice be heard.

"What do you mean? Didn't you have it taken so you can look at it?" He smiled and went back to the couch.

She gulped as she connected the dots. 

*The fiance Mi Ran talked about must have been...She did this?...does this mean I lose this job? Was So Woon in on it? Will I have to go...* a series of thoughts crossed her mind.

"Akin.." her face covered in dread, "..you know this wasn't-" she stopped as he raised his palm.

"I thought I made it clear the day I came here. I will do what I have to do as a CEO. Until I lose you as an employee I won't interfere with anything you do", he smiled, his face suddenly had a charm, a handsome smile swept along. That is when you know *he is truly happy* He popped a mint candy into his mouth as he watched her lose her stance and grab the chair. Her fingernails dug into the leather cover of the chair. He decided to let it slide, *I am in too good a mood to be irritated by a leather cover* he thought as she breathed heavily, loosening her tie.

She felt her muscles loosen. She fell to the ground on her knees, her palms flattened on the cold marble floor. The photos fell out of her hand.

"Akin, this once..", she looked up to see no sympathy from him whatsoever.

"This is unfair, she's lying, I am being framed for something I didn't do", she knew whatever she says would be in vain. She felt defeated and helpless.
"Akin, let it slide this once. Please", she looked up again.

"I received an official complaint that an employee meddled in the personal life of a hotel guest"

"You know I didn't do -"

"Not just any guest, it's Mi Ran, the chief editor of 24News Group, one of the biggest media companies in Korea"

"You really do know how to make the best enemies", he smiled as he stood up, sitting on the desk and folding his legs in the front.

"So, acting as per the complaint and as the CEO of Haylong Hotels, Samairah Choi, you are fired", he smiled.

The words echoed in her ears. What she had feared all these years had finally happened.

She rushed out the door to the elevator. The doors opened, Allen looked from the reception as she took heavy steps toward the entrance.

"You must be desperate to apologize", the brazen words echoed through the lobby. Samairah turned back to see Mi Ran. She looked even menacing than ever, her deep brown lipstick complimented the smokey eyes with the red shadow.

"Mi Ran. I will do whatever you want but this once, let it go, please", she pleaded. Mi Ran stepped forward slapping her on the face. She grabbed her phone, shoving it in front of Samairah. The news of So Woon and Mi Ran was all over the tabloids.

"Who will take responsibility for what you did? Is this how you treat your guests?"

"You know very well I didn't do it", she says clenching her jaws. Mi Ran gestures to Allen who brings a middle aged woman wearing goggles.

"You know who this is, don't you? This is the woman who kept an eye on me because you told her to", she faked her tears.

"SONG MI RAN" Samairah shouted. "I don't know why needed to go this far, but you will ruin my life if you do so. Please", her face was a mix of sorrow and anger.

"The least I can do is not sue you", she said turning to Akin among the crowd to her left. "I believe she's fired?"Akin nodded in response. Mi Ran turned towards the elevator; she tried her best to hold in the smile.

"Song Mi Ran, since I am no longer an employee", startled she turns back to see Samairah running to her. She felt the whiff of air before being kicked down to the ground. Samairah grabbed her collar pulling her up against the wall beside the elevator. Allen and other officers rushed to the scene trying to pull her away. She punched him in the face before kicking away the other two away. Pulling up her fists she punched her twice before she fell to the floor, her face a bloody mess. She felt hands pulling her away and turned around to attack, only to stop dead before him. *So Woon* she thought as she let his hand go. She fell to the ground as he landed a blow to her nose. She didn't budge, she didn't hold him back or stop him as he helped Mi Ran into the elevator. Allen and the two officers held her hands behind her forcing her onto the ground and pinning her down. She looked helplessly at So Woon as the doors closed in front of her.

***

She rushed into Akin's office. He was nowhere to be seen. She sighed and leaned on the wall letting herself sink to the floor. Tears flowed down her face. *I shouldn't have trusted you or anyone*

She limped as she walked back to the door. Allen had twisted her ankle in the process of pinning her down. *security manager* she scorned as she opened the door and walked out. She turned to look at the patio one last time. Her eyes teared up as she walked past it towards the elevator.

***

A contemporary seaside villa lay among the darkness, the moonlight reflecting on each of its glass walls. She pulled up at the gate, pressing in the pass code. The gate slid open revealing a parking lot with 2 parked cars and an empty slot. She punched in her pass code and entered the house climbing up the stairs in the main hall leading to a balcony with glass walls giving a magnificent view. She pressed her hand against the cold glass letting it slide down as she knelt on the ground cupping her face and breaking down. Her voice echoed in the house as she cried out loud.

She opened her eyes slightly. The sunlight lit the hall brightly, she had slept off on the leather couch. She sat up, her hands pressing on either side of the couch. The voices of a crowd outside was apparent. She knew it was coming and that there was no avoiding it.

She walked to the bedroom and into the closet. She looked at the full length mirror near the wardrobe and how much of a mess she was. She took off her jacket and the white shirt beneath it. She pulled out a hairband, gathering her hair and tying it into a top bun. A few strands escaped the band and hung on either side of her face. She ran her hands along the three scars on her stomach, the three lines that had healed over the time but the weight of it still pulled her down. She looked at her chest, above the crease of her sports bra, the wound of a bullet. *All this, just to end up back there* she thought as the bangs on her front door got louder. She put on a loose shirt, tucked into her cargo pants and pulled on a jacket.

She unlocked the door, the officers rushed in; the reporters outside flashed the camera on her face. The officers cuffed her hands behind while telling her the rights.

"Samairah Choi, you are arrested for the murder of Officer Lee Do Sik...."